The blood-red space vanished.
Unohana collapsed, wearing a satisfied smile.
At this moment, her demeanor reverted back to its original gentle elegance, despite her body being covered in blood.
Unohana was born from slaughter, took pleasure in slaughter, and her ultimate destiny should have been to die in slaughter. Now, with Shin's intervention, perhaps this timeline would experience an unexpected deviation.
Shin stepped forward to treat Unohana.
Unohana lay silently on the cold ground, her hair spread out like a waterfall, partially obscuring her face. The blood staining her white Captain's haori was like crimson plum blossoms decorating this "painting."
Her body trembled slightly. The sense of fragility she exuded now was a world away from her previous image as a God of Slaughter.
"Why?"
Shin replied, "I certainly don't want you to get hurt in front of me."
It turned out that the golden slash had shattered the blood-red slash but had not struck Unohana, it had merely grazed past her. She was only injured by the subsequent explosion.
Unohana changed her expression again, wearing a gentle smile. "Ara, I seem to recall that you have quite a close relationship with Yoruichi and Soi Fon, haven't you?"
She emphasized the phrase "quite a close relationship."
Shin immediately broke out in a cold sweat. It was true, just as Unohana said, things were still unresolved between him and the other two.
"Oh, it's Captain Unohana."
A voice sounded behind the two, rescuing Shin.
It was Yoruichi and Nel, who had returned from outside.
Even with the barrier in place, they had felt Unohana's fluctuating Reiatsu outside, prompting them to rush back immediately.
"Brother, are you alright?"
Seeing Shin covered in blood and his clothes torn, Nel immediately rushed over.
"Did this woman do this?"
Nel glared fiercely at Unohana, her hand already resting on her Zanpakutō.
Although Nel disliked fighting, if someone important to her was hurt, she would not hesitate to draw her sword.
Shin quickly stopped Nel, saying, "Nel, I'm fine. Captain Unohana and I were just sparring."
Unohana noticed the change in Shin's address, gave him a meaningful look, and then appraised the adult form of Nel.
"It seems your taste is excellent, Nohara."
Shin understood her hidden meaning but found it impossible to explain himself, feeling deeply wronged internally.
He absolutely only considered Nel as a younger sister.
Yoruichi noticed that something seemed strange between the two and said, "If you two keep 'sparring' like this, the barrier is going to collapse."
The final blow exchanged between them had nearly shattered the underground barrier.
This was no spar.
Yoruichi would believe it if they said they had fought three hundred rounds.
And once the barrier's restriction was lost, their combined power would surely alarm Soul Society.
Yoruichi continued, "I imagine Soul Society would be very curious as to why the usually gentle and composed Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division would be fighting someone so fiercely."
This strange atmosphere made Shin extremely uncomfortable.
Why was everyone speaking with veiled hostility and sarcasm?
Shin had to intervene to end the conversation prematurely. "Um, should we head up now?"
Unohana said, standing up, "I must return to the Soul Society. Farewell, Nohara, Yoruichi, and Nel."
Facing Nel's hostility and Yoruichi's provocation, she remained completely unfazed, bidding farewell to everyone with her usual gentle expression.
"Goodbye."
Watching Unohana pass through the Senkaimon, Shin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Shin, Yoruichi, and Nel returned home.
Yoruichi stared at Shin, seemingly demanding an explanation.
Nel, meanwhile, clung to Shin's arm. She had no idea what had happened, and even if she did, she wouldn't care. As long as Shin was safe, that was all that mattered to her.
Shin offered a rough explanation.
"This is what happened."
"I heard that Captain Unohana was the first Kenpachi, so I wanted to spar with her. As we fought, we just got carried away."
Yoruichi stared at Shin, full of suspicion. "That simple? How did you find out she was the first Kenpachi?"
The fact that Unohana was the first Kenpachi was a secret within Seireitei, known only to a handful of people.
"I learned it from Ichimaru."
Shin thought to himself, 'Ichimaru, sorry about this, but you'll have to take the blame for me.'
"Ichimaru?"
Considering Aizen, Yoruichi thought it was plausible for Gin to know.
Yoruichi continued to ask, "Unohana used her Bankai, didn't she?"
"Yes."
Yoruichi teased, "Then you are the only man in a thousand years to walk out of her Bankai alive."
As far as she knew, besides Shin, the only other person was probably Yamamoto from a thousand years ago.
Shin wiped his brow, asking, "Is that some kind of special honor?"
"Isn't it special enough? The only... man, you know."
Shin hurriedly said, "Hey, Yoruichi, your words are too ambiguous. If Captain Unohana heard that, she'd surely cut me down."
"Are you still afraid of her? Just subdue her like you did today."
Shin was speechless. She made it sound as easy as taking candy from a baby to defeat Unohana.
Yoruichi asked, "Alright, enough of that. What was her Bankai like?"
Given Yoruichi's status as the former head of one of the Four Great Noble Clans and former Captain of the Second Division, she only knew the name of Unohana's Bankai: Minazuki.
After all, everyone who had witnessed Minazuki, except for Yamamoto, had died. And Yamamoto was extremely secretive about it, never mentioning it outside.
"Her Bankai is very unique. It's like a barrier, and inside is a world of blood."
"Anyone inside gets healed..."
Shin combined his own experience and Unohana's description to give a simple explanation.
Yoruichi mused, "Is that so? As expected of the greatest criminal from a thousand years ago. It's dangerous indeed."
Then, she suddenly asked, "Do you think I could beat her now?"
Shin found this strange.
Could Yoruichi be planning to fight Unohana?
"Why are you looking at me like that? You don't think I want to fight her, do you? I'm just curious." Yoruichi said when she saw Shin staring silently.
Shin shook his head and said, "Honestly, the way you are now, you'd just get crushed."
No sooner had he spoken than a pillow flew toward Shin.
—
That night.
Shin finally had the chance to check his reward.
[Mission Complete: Defeat Unohana Yachiru]
[Reward: Senzu Bean ×1]
Shin quickly retrieved the reward and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was a small bottle. He counted them, finding there were 12 beans in total.
Shin was extremely satisfied with this reward.
Senzu Beans are the divine healing items from Dragon Ball. Even if someone is on their last breath, one Senzu bean is enough to restore them to full health.
These things look like broad beans, and their yield is extremely low, making 12 beans an incredibly rare find.
It is important to note, however, that Senzu Beans can only restore stamina and heal external and internal injuries, they cannot cure illnesses.
(End of Chapter)
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